Author Archive for Debbie Nguyen

Nobody leaves their house in the morning assuming that they’ll experience a life-altering event by the end of the day. Sadly, statistics showing deaths from accidents prove that our assumptions are not always accurate. Luckily, not everyone involved in an auto accident meets such a tragic end, but many do end up so severely injured that they’re confined to a wheelchair or worse for the rest of their lives. Fortunately, this is not the end of an individual’s life, and those who take proactive measures can have a fulfilling, albeit different life.

Accident Statistics

Everyone who heads out on the roads faces dangers even if they’re the safest driver in the world, but those who have a love affair with their muscle cars understand that they could face additional dangers if they’re not careful with the power behind these cars. Regardless of whether an individual drives mostly for errands or just to show off their “metallic baby,” there are certain statistics they should know so they understand the dangers that they face.

While distracted driving is the most common cause of automobile-related deaths, speeding isn’t far behind. In fact, speeding is a contributing factor in one-third of all fatal auto accidents. This should be enough for individuals, regardless of how fast their muscle car is, to be careful on the streets. As mentioned, though, these accidents won’t always result in death.

Spinal cord injuries are the major reason for paraplegia or quadriplegia. Motor vehicle accidents make up 55% of all spinal cord injuries. Reasons for these accidents range from not using seat belts, being under the influence of alcohol or drugs, driver inexperience, and even fatigue.

Rebuilding a Life

Rebuilding one’s life after becoming wheelchair bound is an uphill battle, but following doctor’s orders and attending physical therapy, if prescribed, is absolutely essential. Additionally, there are all types of activities that those in wheelchairs can engage in. Many people join local groups that simply go out to dinner, movies, concerts and a plethora of other activities together. Those with an athletic side, can join wheelchair sports leagues.

Whatever reasons for a disability, it’s imperative to find a legal advocate who can help navigate the upcoming difficulties. An individual who was injured due to another person’s negligence, for instance, could receive substantial financial compensation if they speak with a personal injury attorney. These events are life changing, so it’s important for a person to seek out help whenever they can.

Difficult Transition

Following the aforementioned tips is vital in surviving mentally after being confined to a wheelchair, and this isn’t obvious anywhere more than in the difficult transition people face between a walking and a wheelchair-bound life. Many people’s initial difficulty is the stares they get in public. Some people simply don’t understand this level of existence, so they’ll often feel pity for those in wheelchairs. No one likes to be pitied, but sadly, this isn’t even the full extent of what people will face.

One of the most difficult things confronting those confined to wheelchairs is finding handicapped accessible areas. Luckily, federal law has made this much easier, but this doesn’t mean it’s necessarily easy. Many college students suddenly confined to wheelchairs, for instance, have complained about the difficulty they experience moving themselves up sometimes steep ramps carrying heavy books. Different people will face different hurdles, but for those who want to overcome their new handicap, being strong mentally can go a long way.

Counseling may help with the emotional turmoil. Initial thoughts of anger of having a world turned upside down may turn to depression. Seek psychological help while getting physical rehabilitation. In order to be successful, these therapies should go hand in hand.

There’s no denying that coming back from a dangerous auto accident will be difficult, but it is by no means an impossibility. Life will definitely change; there’s no getting around that. For those who press forward, however, the things they can accomplish in their life may surprise even them. Franklin D. Roosevelt, arguably one of the greatest politicians of all time, was confined to a wheelchair, attested to the fact that life in a wheelchair doesn’t have to be tragic.

Product designer Debbie Nguyen researched disabilities by spending time in a wheelchair. She also visited many rehab centers and interviewed patients for what they needed to make their day to day lives easier to maneuver. Please watch video to see the way accidents can affect lives and how to shelter from the tragedies.

With more than 1.5 million Lupus sufferers in this country alone, it is imperative for people who suffer from this autoimmune disease, as well as those closest to them, understand the risks of mixing alcohol with Lupus medication. With upcoming holiday festivities, it’s important to remember not to over imbibe.

Lupus is a condition where your immune system gets confused and instead of attacking foreign substances in your body, it goes after your healthy cells and tissues, leading to damage to your joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, brain, and blood vessels to name a few critical things.

Symptoms of Lupus vary in people but can include fatigue, fever, joint swelling and pain, memory loss, and chest pains. Inflammation can stress your major organs. Since there is no cure for Lupus, most treatments are centered around treating the symptoms and preventing flare ups, such as reducing pain and swelling, and balancing your hormones.

Reactions From Alcohol

Many Lupus sufferers have reactions to the sulfates in wine. Others have a reaction to the gluten in beer. Symptoms include chills, diarrhea, and fevers. And alcohol also stresses the liver in Lupus patients.

Any medication, whether it be one that can be purchased over-the-counter or one that is prescribed to a patient, comes with risks that could make drinking alcohol ill advised. However, this risk could be increased substantially when the person consuming alcoholic beverages has Lupus.

Before a person thinks about consuming a beer or enjoying a glass of wine at a celebration, she would do well to understand the negative reaction that her medications could have once they are mixed with alcohol.

Pronounced Inebriation

A person who is perfectly healthy can sometimes consume alcohol and still remain somewhat in charge of her faculties. However, a person who has Lupus may not be so lucky. Because she often takes medications that contain aspirin, corticosteroids, and anti-inflammatory agents, she could suffer more pronounced inebriation, if not total incapacitation.

A Lupus patient who makes the unfortunate choice to drive after consuming alcohol also could suffer additional legal punishment if she is found to be under the influence of both medications and alcohol. The police will not give any credence to her being sick with Lupus or having to be on medication. According to one Orlando DUI lawyer, “that person will face legal punishment to the fullest extent of the law.”

Medication Rendered Ineffective

When a person with Lupus drinks alcohol, she may not realize that she could be rendering her prescribed medications useless. Alcohol could be impeding the medications’ intended effects, leaving she at risk of flare-ups and pain. If a patient wants her medications to work properly, it is vital that she avoid consuming alcohol and making it difficult for her medicines to carry out their intended duties. Once a person avoids alcohol, this Lupus patient could enjoy being free from flare-ups and pain that are commonly associated with this condition.

Along with avoiding alcohol, a Lupus sufferer could also choose simpler and more natural treatments for her conditions. Along with taking her medications, she may be advised to get plenty of rest and stay well hydrated. Resting and proper hydration can help her body avoid the pain and inflammation that are associated with her condition. Likewise, doctors urge Lupus patients to work out every day, but avoid overdoing their routines. A simple walk around the block or a short session of lifting weights could help her body heal itself from the discomfort associated with Lupus.

While more than one million people in this country suffer from Lupus, this disease does not have to control people’s lives. They can find relief from the pain, flare-ups, and swelling that make so many patients miserable by following some simple steps. Using alcohol while taking Lupus medications could lead to legal and physical disaster for these patients.

Lupus sufferers can still enjoy their holiday get togethers by avoiding alcohol. Concentrate on family and friends and camaraderie. Get into the spirit of joy by celebrating with loved ones in activities that don’t involve drinking and ring in the New Year with a substitute for the bubbly by toasting with sparkling juice.

Debbie Nguyen has many friends who have Lupus. She encourages them to keep a healthy lifestyle and abstain from alcohol. Search Orlando DUI lawyer online for information and tips on how to keep your driving record healthy.

Most people have had times when you get irritated behind the wheel of a car. Perhaps you’re running late for work or for an appointment. Perhaps the weather is foul, which slows all of traffic down. Whether you live in a big city or a small town, there’s nothing more irritating than getting stuck behind a driver who you think doesn’t know what he’s doing.

He might be guilty of driving too slow. Or maybe he forgot about that blinking turn signal as he’s going straight. Perhaps he’s a driver who is unfamiliar with your hometown and he’s trying to drive and read directions on the GPS, which impedes progress to your destination.

It’s enough to push you to the brink of insanity, especially when you’re trying to keep to a schedule. Personally, my children say I am guilty of shouting obscenities at drivers the whole time I am behind the wheel. Driving angry can lead to accidents and road rage. We’ve all heard on the news where road rage unfortunately leads to violence or even death.

Many times, aggressive driving leads to DUI charges. It can be considered a misdemeanor if there were injuries caused to others, and even a felony if there was damage to property belonging to another person. So how do you stay calm and avoid such violence?

Moves to Avoid

Everyone has experienced anger behind the wheel from time to time, but what do you do when that anger threatens to boil over to complete and utter road rage? There are some common mistakes many drivers make when dealing with road irritation, and a few of them can damage your driving record. Avoiding these may not just save your reputation, but also save you from damage to yourself, your car and to others.

Sign Language

If you’re driving along, minding your own business and you get cut off by a car, it’s understandable how you might be annoyed by this, but using obscene “sign language” to convey your displeasure isn’t the answer. Not only will you be taking your hands off the wheel for a moment, you’ll also be taking your eyes off the road, putting you in danger of an accident. This offensive act may also trigger a negative and violent response from the other driver, escalating matters even more.

Aggressive Revenge Driving

Road rage makes you do things you wouldn’t normally do. Many people in cars will drive aggressively or even chase vehicles they feel have somehow “wronged” them in traffic. No matter how terrible you think another driver’s behavior has been committed against you, taking revenge by doing likewise is a dangerous option.

Car chases in movies and TV shows add excitement. But in reality, they pose a huge threat to everyone who is on the road at the time. Innocent bystanders have been mowed down in car chases. Properties have been damaged when plowed into by a car that was involved in a car chase.

Though it would feel justified in the heat of the moment, following or chasing down the other driver only serves to put you and other drivers around you in harm’s way. This style of driving can make you as dangerous as someone who has had a drink, and the police rarely tolerate it. Again, revenge driving will only escalate the situation.

Calm is the Mantra

According to a DUI lawyer Orlando, it’s easy to lose your cool while driving, remaining calm is one of the most important things you can do to remain safe, according to a DUI lawyer Orlando. When you stay in control, you’re less likely to end up committing a traffic violation that will land you with an expensive ticket or time wasted in traffic court.

Try taking deep breaths and counting to 10 before reacting to a bad driver. Additionally, keeping the music low and calm can keep your blood pressure down when being needled by terrible drivers. Remember that you are operating a two ton machine that could kill and that you must keep a level head. By avoiding the common pitfalls of dumb, or “reactionary” driving, you can ensure you never end up with a DUI or expensive traffic ticket.

Debbie Nguyen is a blogger and mother of two teen drivers. She is constantly reading up on accident laws and how they might affect her teens. Her research led her to DUI lawyer Orlando-based Katz & Phillips. She believes arming yourself with information is one of the best defense.

Fall season is coming up shortly. When the weather gets a little nippier and the leaves start to change color, people start planning their fall foliage driving trips to see the beautiful trees. North Carolina is a popular destination for fall color drives because of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is also a draw for motorcyclists who enjoy the thrill of riding on the curvy roads. Congestion and the winding narrow mountain roads may be a precursor for accidents.

When an accident occurs, the police are required to determine who caused or was the fault of the accident. In many cases, an accident cannot be determined and the police classify it as a no-fault occurrence. However, if they determine one party is at fault, the accident report will state this information.

When you are deemed ”at fault” you can be ticketed for the accident and you can be legally held liable for the financial and physical damages that you caused other drivers. North Carolina auto accident lawyers recommend you research the laws that are specific to the area and how they will affect you.

There are many other ramifications for being found at fault for an accident. This is above and beyond what your insurance company will pay. Your insurance company may refuse to cover your damages or your injuries. If they do not drop your coverage, you can expect to see your rates increase. You might also have to take a safe driver course to retain your license, pay fines, or do community service.

Underlying Roadway Defects Can Be Responsible For The Accident

There are ways that your attorney can have the fault of the accident dropped against you if they can prove any of the following was the cause of your accident and not your negligence:

Poorly marked lane lines or missing lines

Failure to clearly mark a construction zone

Dangerous merging due to poor signage or work zone

Traffic signal was malfunctioning at the time of the event

Inadequate signage signaling a drop off or a soft shoulder

Potholes, excessive oil or gravel on road or other road damage

Lack of traffic signal in an area previously reported for many accidents

Debris in the road that should have been removed by police, city, or county workers

Poor road design that has an obvious dangerous intersection that has not been modified

Damage to your car due to road conditions that made it malfunction and cause the accident.

An experienced accident defense attorney will be able to review these types of problems that are currently impacting the area where the accident occurred and determine if it was the true cause of the accident. If successful, the charges against you will be dropped and your liability for the accident is removed.

Additionally, if the underlying cause of the accident is found to be a direct act of negligence by the county or highway authority, you may be able to sue for damages to your vehicle, the cost of your defense attorney in the accident case, and any financial harm you encountered as a result of their inaction.

As you can see, it will be in your best interest to hire an accident defense attorney. You can be saved from being financially liable for the accident, from having to attend driving school, from paying high fees, from accruing points on your driving record, and from paying higher insurance rates. You might also be able to sue for compensation.

Debbie Nguyen is a blogger and designer in the southeast of America. In researching common accidents associated with popular foliage drives, she found North Carolina auto accident lawyers Auger & Auger have been assisting drivers and motorcyclists in the Smokies and Appalachians.